This is Kathleen March. This week’s US-El Salvador report is on the relationship between environmental concerns, international interests, and the Salvadoran economy. This report is prepared by the University of Maine in collaboration with Radio Sumpul and US- El Salvador Sister Cities.

This is Kathleen March. This week’s US-El Salvador report was on the relationship between environmental concerns, international interests, and the Salvadoran economy. The report has been prepared by the University of Maine in collaboration with Radio Sumpul and US- El Salvador Sister Cities.

Over the holidays , two more anti-mining activists were murdered in the Cabanas region in El Salvador. Area residents allege the Canadian gold mining company, Pacific Rim, is connected to incidents of violence and threats against activists who oppose mining in the community. Because of widespread opposition to the potential environmental and social costs, El Salvador has passed a moratorium against mining. In response, Pacific Rim is suing the Salvadoran government under the Central American Free trade Agreement, through it’s Nevada subsidiary.
William Castillo, the Center for Research on Investment and Trade(CEICOM) and the National Coalition Against Mining.
Bernardo Belloso, the Association for the Development of El Salvador (CRIPDES) and the National Coalition Against Mining
Tom Shrake, President and CEO, Pacific Rim Mining Corporation (written statement)
Emily Carpenter, US El Salvador Sister Cities

Segment 1: Peter Neill, Director of the World Ocean Observatory and host of WERU’s “World Ocean Radio”, reports back from the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen. FMI: www.thew2o.net

Segment 2: Over the holidays , two more anti-mining activists were murdered in the Cabanas region in El Salvador. Area residents allege the Canadian gold mining company, Pacific Rim, is connected to incidents of violence and threats against activists who oppose mining in the community. Because of widespread opposition, El Salvador has passed a moratorium against mining. In response, Pacific Rim is suing the Salvadoran government under the Central American Free trade Agreement, through it’s Nevada subsidiary.

William Castillo, the Center for Research on Investment and Trade(CEICOM) and the National Coalition Against Mining.

Over the holidays , two more anti-mining activists were murdered in the Cabanas region in El Salvador. Area residents allege the Canadian gold mining company, Pacific Rim, is connected to incidents of violence and threats against activists who oppose mining in the community. Because of widespread opposition, El Salvador has passed a moratorium against mining. In response, Pacific Rim is suing the Salvadoran government under the Central American Free trade Agreement, through it’s Nevada subsidiary. William Castillo, the Center for Research on Investment and Trade(CEICOM) and the National Coalition Against Mining.Tom Shrake, President and CEO, Pacific Rim Mining Corporation (written statement)

Producers/Hosts: Amy Browne & Meredith DeFrancesco
Topics: FMLN wins El Salvador Election- Social Movement Response, and local Peace and Justice movement responds to the 6th Anniversary of the US war on Iraq.
Segment 1: Interviews with Esther Chavez, who is from El Salvador, now living in the United States. She has been working with the US El Salvador Sister Cities network since the early 90s and went down as an election observer on Sunday. She talks about her experience and the historical significance of the election of the FMLN candidate, Mauricio Funes, and with social movement leader Lorena Martinez, the President of CRIPDES, a network of over 300 organized communities throughout El Salvador, involved in community development projects and organizing around social and political issues, like free trade, water privatization and gold mining. She talks about the significance of the elections and the implications for the social movement in El Salvador FMI: www.elsalvadorsolidarity.org & www.cispes.org
Segment 2: A coalition of groups working on peace, justice and human rights issues held a press conference at the Peace & Justice Center in Bangor earlier today to mark the 6th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq & to announce plans for a Community Teach In Saturday called “New Organizing Strategies for the Obama Era”. Here are some excerpts of remarks from members of some of the coalition of 16 groups co-sponsoring the Teach-In (which will be held 3/21/09, 1-5pm at the UU Church on Park Street in Bangor). FMI: www.peacectr.org or 207-943-9343